


Rescue; Promises meant to be broken

by AussieTransfan2015



Series: Merpeople AU [9]
Category: Transformers - All Media Types
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Merpeople, Conflict, F/F, Friends saving the day, M/M, Merpeople, Multi, Rescue, Some mermaid love, Stranded on an Island, Trapped, can't tag to save my life, family matters, friends stick together
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-09
Updated: 2017-05-09
Packaged: 2018-10-29 19:30:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,416
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10860570
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AussieTransfan2015/pseuds/AussieTransfan2015
Summary: Despite the promise she made to Eclipse, watching her family mourn pressed Solstice over the line.With some help from land and sea, she was determined to bring her friend home, but might find out she was giving something up too.





	Rescue; Promises meant to be broken

**Author's Note:**

> Solstice Speedzone and Turbocharge are my OCs  
> All other OCs belong to my good friend, TheBigLoserQueen.  
> This request is for you!

Merpeople AU

* * *

  
  
Sitting on the beach, Solstice sighed.  
  
It had been two weeks since she had seen Eclipse on the island; two weeks since she had abandoned her to her fate. It was a promise that left a vile taste in her mouth, knowing she was there and alive but everyone else thought she was dead. She had to avoid Radar’s store now, the distraught mother always asking her to search for Eclipse or asking if she had seen anything that could indicate that Eclipse was alive. She kept going to see the distraught mother though, if only to show her support and ensure the family was coping, for Eclipse she would.  
  
Dusting the sand off her legs, she grabbed her drying board and made her way back to the beachside boardwalk. Coming to the same small food store, Solstice took a breath before she rested her board next to the door and stepped inside.  
  
She could tell the family had seen better days; Radar seemed paler than before, thinner too. Red Moon looked like someone had told her happiness was gone, Airstrike and Smokebomb were trying to keep everything afloat while trying to keep their family together.  
  
“M-morning,” Solstice smiled, trying to seem like her usual self, hoping it would help perk up the sullen and mourning family.  
  
"Good morning, Solstice," Radar smiled, perking up from her seat. "How are you?"  
  
"Fine thank you," Solstice moved to the front, grabbing an energy drink on her way up.  
  
"Have you-"  
  
"Dear," Airstrike cooed, coming to sit next to Radar. Airstrike knew Radar would continuously ask Solstice the same question and make the same request, getting her hopes only for the responce to further deteriorate her already frail health. Solstice held her tongue, turning to Red Moon and Smokebomb, shaking her head. It was answer enough for them, both of them understanding but it wasn't any easier to accept.  
  
She paid for her purchase, Solstice turned back to Radar and opened her arms. Radar accepted her hug, something she always did when she visited. Radar always accepted the offer, bringing Solstice into a tight hug. She wanted to tell them; so badly she wanted to shriek Eclipse is alive and she knew where to find her, but she couldn't.  
  
"I-If you find anything..."  
  
"I'll tell you, I promise," pulling back from the distraught woman, Solstice fought back the urge to tell, to give her some indication but she promised.  
  
"Eclipse, what did I get myself into?" Keep her voice low, she hissed at herself and storming out of the small store. She needed to vent or work out this frustration, but in the back of her mind she knew it wouldn't work; she needed to help Eclipse, and there might be a way of doing it.  


* * *

  
"You want to go back into Megatron's territory?" Drift couldn't believe what he had heard Solstice ask for.  
  
"Solstice, that would be too dangerous," Perceptor slid up onto the small dock Solstice had built for them just near her home. Propped on her lap, he looked up to her. "Megatron and his pod are dangerous, if your friend is on their island home, there may be no way of saving her."  
  
"Not if they're close by," Solstice pondered. "If there were a way to shift attention..." she looked beside her, Drift having pulled himself out of the water to sit beside her, his arms wrapping around her shoulders.  
  
"Solstice, we don't want to see you hurt."  
  
"I know, but Eclipse is being held against her will and... I can't stand the idea that I can help her and yet I'm doing nothing," She sighed, lying back on the dock, both mers looking down on her. "I can't tell the coast guard or even her family without them going out and getting hurt. Like you said, Megatron would no doubt attack with his pod."  
  
"But these guards would be better equipped, why must it be you?" Perceptor asked, his body sliding over hers. Solstice wasn't sure why but both of them seemed more inclined to slide beside her. But the thought was brushed aside, Eclipse was her concern.  
  
"Because I've been to the island," was her only answer, pushing up with Perceptor; the mer licking her face to comfort her but it did little to alay her worries. "If I do go through with this...Would you help me?" she looked between them, knowing what she was asking was a great deal. "You don't have to, I know I'm asking a lot of you, but..." Drift pressed in, Perceptor resuming his tender nips in place of kisses; nuzzling her cheek and neck.  
  
"Of course we would help," Drift trilled, keeping his body close to hers.  
  
"You saved us from captivity, reunited us. We have yet to repay that kindness," Perceptor echoed Drift's trills, joining him as they slid back into the water.  
  
"Then...let's do this," She had made up her mind long before now, but with Drift and Perceptor agreeing to help her, her resolve to do more than keep a secret increased. "I just need to do one more thing before we can attempt this rescue."  
  
"As do we, the others might be willing to help to," Perceptor dove under the water before Solstice could protest.  
  
"Rodimus will no doubt want to help, we might have more of a cause here," Drift disappeared too, leaving Solstice concerned, confused and very much worried. Putting herself at risk was one thing, asking Drift and Perceptor to help dented her worries but to have even more wanting to help in this; her nerves weren't going to survive.  
  
"I guess it's now or never," Picking up her phone from her pocket, she dialed a number.  
  
"Hey, Speedzone. Strange question but...does your dad still have that Yamaha speedboat?"  


* * *

  
Coming to the dock, with some provisions and some medical supplies just in case, she smiled at seeing Speedzone and Turbocharge waiting there for her.  
  
"Dad was curious why his wayward daughter needed one of his boats," she smiled, shaking the keys for the high powered boat. "You own me the price for renting it."  
  
"No problem," she smiled, keeping her worries in check. Taking the keys, Solstice pulled out her wallet to repay her friend only for Speedzone to grab her hands.  
  
"Solstice what's going on?" Turbocharge nodded, standing beside her.  
  
"Why do you need the boat?" he asked, but both could tell something was worrying her.  
  
"I just need it to get to the next island over. Our...friends said there was something over there to check out but I need the boat to get there today," shrugging them off, Solstice dropped the supplies into the boat and stepped in herself, Speedzone and Turbocharge stepped in after her.  
  
"Then we can come too," Speedzone reclaimed her keys, expertly starting up the boat and doing all pre-checks while Solstice tried to stop her.  
  
"No you can't."  
  
"Why?" Turbocharge asked, pulling Solstice back. "Why can't we come too?"   
  
Solstice tried to find an answer, explain in some way that would convince her friends to stay safe but that look on Speedzone's face and Turbocharge's concern told her she couldn't.  
  
"Solstice you're great at keeping secrets, but sometimes your own secrets are written on your face," Speedzone sighed, moving to the mooring rope. "So how about you tell me where we're going, you can't drive a boat right anyway."  
  
"Fine," Solstice sighs, taking a seat. "I'm...I'm going to help Eclipse." Both stopped. Solstice waited for the cursing and the questions.  
  
"Eclipse? As in the girl from the boardwalk?" Speedzone started.  
  
"The same girl who went missing two months ago?" Turbocharge added.  
  
"And who I found while out with Drift and Perceptor, yes - that girl," the yelling hadn't started yet; both of them hated being out of the loop since neither of them ever withheld secrets from the others. This was the first big secret Solstice had kept from them and she could bet they were going to blow a gasket.  
  
"Then...let's go," Speedzone rushed to the mooring rope and gunned the engine, catching Solstice off.  
  
"What?" balancing on the speeding boat, she grabbed the boat's light frame. "You're not mad?"  
  
"Figured you had a good reason," Sometimes Solstice really questioned just how much Speedzone actually gave regarding situations like this. “Now where are we going?”  
Sighing, figuring there was no other way around this, Solstice took the passenger seat while Speedzone eased them out of the docks. Turbocharge handed out the lifejackets while holding one aside for Eclipse. This was going to be close, but it would be worth it.  
  
“Don’t go out too far, we’re meeting up with the others,” Solstice added, both Speedzone and Turbocharge looking confused.  
  
“Who else is on this that you couldn’t ask us?” he asked, watching as the beach grew farther away.  
  
“You’ll know them when you see them.”  


* * *

  
Laying on the beach had become Eclipse's only past time. There were only so many times she could read the same books or clean her small home.  
  
No doubt she was getting a tan from the times she had spent on the beach, moving to shade when the sun grew too warm; she didn't want to get a sunburn since there was no access to sunscreen or treatments. She wondered if Megatron could get sunscreen since he seemed capable of getting pretty much anything she wanted. Some days she suspected he had more contact with the outside world than he let on.  
  
But that wasn't what was on her mind most days now. It was what happened a few weeks ago.  
  
After Solstice had escaped, some of Megatron's pod spoke of some rival pod. They were always hushed whispers, and murmurs but it didn't stop most of them from staring at her. Moreso than they usually did.  
  
Megatron then spent more time with her; instead of sharing moments lying on the beach as he used to, he would bring her out to swim in the depths with him, drinking down more of that strange seaweed Solstice had used. It was strange being able to breath underwater but the sights Megatron had shown her, some that not even experienced divers had seen, her heart leapt from the memories.  
  
But a commotion had brought one of her tours to an early end.  
  
She recalled being brought to their cave home, next to her secluded beach. Megatron helped her to shore before approaching the few gathered there. Most were lounging on the ledges over the water, watching what was unfolding on the beach with great interest.  
  
Starscream, she recalled his name when Megatron shooed him away during one of their dives, seemed agitated and annoyed; his eyes continuously glaring back at her. He argued with Megatron, throwing insults and trying to explain that this other pod would no doubt mount an assault on them. What kind of culture did they have that pods would attack one another? Eclipse had asked more than once regarding these details though Megatron was less than forthcoming; what was plain to see, at least from her standpoint, was how those with Starscream leered at her.  
  
"You can't possibly call her a mate~!" he had said. "She's human!"  
  
The sudden claim had confused her even more. Was all the arguing because of her? And what had happened next had not only been more confusing... and had put Megatron into better standing.   
  
Her cheeks blushed, recalling what the large sharkticon did next. Just as the others seemed to move towards her, Megatron had moved with a strange agility and ease on the rocks and sand, blocking their path and his tail looping around her, making a small half-circle. The movement had sent most back, his bared teeth and low rumbles sending some back and others dipping low in submission. Starscream, however, hadn't back down; but he hadappeared hesitant to do anything else. Megatron shook the ground with harsh slams, growls and snaps threw Starscream onto his back, curling in submission.  
  
"Touch her, and I will bleed you," he had threatened.  
  
The roll of his voice, the strength and just how he protected her. Maybe Megatron truly cared for her, more than just keeping her stranded here.  
  
Since then, he had spent even more time with her. Sunbathing on the beach, more swimming, he would even come to the front porch of her little hut to sit and watch the sunset. He would bring her fresh caught fish, always gutted of course, then sit and eat with her while she cooked her fish over a fire. He was more attentive now, didn't seem to hesitate and grew bolder. He seemed facinated with nuzzling her belly and laying his larger head in her lap, especially during their sunsets. Why? She couldn't say, but they were nice all the same. She even surprised him by doing the same; nuzzling his chest and belly while sunbathing. He seemed happy she had, a low purring and churl as he hugged her.  
  
It was times like those that she could stand being on this island. It wasn't like she was alone. He alway made sure she was happy and kept her company.  
  
A splash suddenly caught her attention, looking down at the water. A tail splashed as it disappeared. She couldn't recall any of the others having red tails. Knockout had a red tail but it was larger, this one was thinner. Who was that?  
  
"Eclipse!" Megatron's voice pulled her back, watching him slide out of the water and drag himself up to her. Maybe it was nothing.  


* * *

  
"Wait," Speedzone couldn't believe what Solstice had just said. "You're saying the merpeople we saved from the Aquarium, not only talk but are going to help us?"  
  
"That is pretty much it," Solstice nodded, checking the waters for Drift and Perceptor.  
  
"Okay if not for the fact we're trying to help someone," Turbocharge mused, looking just as confused as Speedzone. "But why didn't you tell us, or ANYone for that matter, that they can talk?!"  
  
"Well one," Solstice didn't turn from the water's surface, lifting up a finger. "You didn't ask, and two, they asked me not to." A smile grew as shifting masses of red and white rose to the surface. Drift and Perceptor smiled seeing Solstice, swimming to the low seat near the silent motor. Legs slipping into the water, she greeted the pair while Turbocharge and Speedzone watched as more mers sprung from the water. The blue mer appeared, jittering and waving at them, the blue female mer appeared, smiling at Speedzone. The fiery mech appeared to but lifted himself up the side of the boat, smirking at Turbocharge.  
  
Others appeared with them, some that none of them had seen before. A small yellow mer and a white, red and blue mer were weary to approach but seemed more curious than scared. The last to surface was a giant green mer, large and fat, looking more like a small while or a large porpoise.  
  
"We're ready when you guys," Solstice smiled. Drift and Perceptor nodded, leaning up to lick her cheeks before directing the others back under.  
  
"Aw~ Cute," Turbocharge came to sit next to Solstice, Speedzone took to standing on her other side. "So, what's the plan?" before Solstice could answer, the fiery mer suddenly surfaced, grabbed the boat and lifted himself up to Turbocharge. Shocked and surprised, he didn't move as the mer licked his cheek before disappearing under the waves again.  
  
"Now that was cute!" Speedzone cackled, bending over in histerics at Turbocharge's shocked face. However, her own shock came when the female mer pulled herself out of the waves, a quick lick to Speedzone's cheeks before she too disappeared.  
  
Solstice didn't say a word, turning away from the water to get the boat started again. This wasn't going to be an easy rescue; they had to make sure everything goes to plan or else people were going to get hurt, human and mer.  
  
She just hoped Eclipse would want to leave this time.  


* * *

  
Watching the sun loom over the horizon, leaning back into Megatron while he played with her hair, Eclipse felt like this was the best day she had had on the island. So content she hadn't realised Megatron had stiffened. It was the splashing that caught her attention.  
  
Looking up, she recognised Lugnut splashing about and calling out. What he was saying she couldn't tell but Megatron seemed to understand.  
  
"Eclipse, stay here. Don't go in the water," licking and nipping her neck, Megatron shifted and crawled back to the water. Confused, Eclipse followed to the water's edge to watch Megatron disappear into the waves. What had happened?  
  
More splashing caught her attention, turning to the far side of the beach but knew she couldn't swim out to see. If there was something in the water that even Megatron didn't want her near, she would stay on the beach. Moving away from the water, seeking refuge in her small home, she could hear something else.  
  
It was faint, she couldn't make it out. Moving to the hidden path, she scaled up to the rocky cliffs where the sound had grown.  
  
Reaching the top, the sound stopped. Edging to the cliffs' edge, she looked down and gasped. Even from this height, she could see Solstice in a boat below. She was waving to her, but why? Why was she here? She promised not to come back!  
  
"Solstice?!"  
  
"Eclipse! Come on! Jump!"  
  
"I-I can't!" Eclipse shook her head. She couldn't leave or else who knows what Megatron would do. Sure he was kind to her and she had become comfortable, she knew what he was capable of if anyone tried to help her leave.  
  
All the times she had attempted escape, he grew more violent. She had no doubt in her mind that if she attempted to escape now he would catch her. He always did. Her mind rushed through all possible outcomes, most being her friend and the others dying for helping her. Megatron would pick them off or he would leave them for his pod to tear apart and devour. Leaving her to his wrath.  
  
"Come on! Just jump!" Speedzone cried, looking around the waters to ensure no mer or sharkticon snuck up on them.  
  
Staying would ensure no one else got hurt. Staying on the island meant Megatron would avoid humans, leave their ships alone and keeping away from the smaller beaches. His pod never really attacked humans, nor his pod, but the measures of his anger knew no bounds. He was capable of anything, and that scared her more. She couldn't leave.  
  
"Please Eclipse!! You have to!" Solstice called back, trying to figure out how to break it to her. "Look! Your family misses you! But it's getting bad!!"  
  
Bad? What did she mean bad?  
  
"Your mum...she's sick! Really sick! I've never seen her so pale!" Solstice didn't want to take this course but it was the only resort she could think of. "Red Moon is always sad! She always has tears in her eyes! Smokebomb and your dad are working themselves to the bone! They're all trying to cope and failing! You need to come home!"   
  
Her mum? Sick? Red Moon always crying? Her brother and father working themselves ragged?  
  
All because she was here.  
  
Shaking, looking back to the secluded beach and over the cliff edge, she had to make a choice. Here or her family.  
  
"Eclipse?!"  
  
She moved from the cliff, psyched herself for something she had never done before and bolted.  
  
"Eclipse!!"  


* * *

  
Megatron growled, roaring in the water as he chased off the invaders.  
  
It was only a matter of time before Optimus sent his filth. Why that poor excuse of a Mer had to meddle in his business. He had caught his son darting around his men, his teeth near missing the spry male. But something seemed a miss, every time they would dart away it would be...his mind clicked. Realising their tactic.  
  
Breaking off and ordering his men to continue their assault, Megatron swam back to the island. Just like Optimus to divide and conquer, draw them away while no doubt himself or his trusted men took his mate away. Coming to the beach, he could see Eclipse wasn't there. Moving up the short shore, thankful for the high tide, he opened the hut door to find no one inside.  
  
An angered snarl rolled off him when his hearing perked; a familiar scream. From the distance it was on the other side of the island. Crawling back to the surf, he wasted no time in swimming to the rear of the island.  


* * *

  
Solstice gasped as she watch Eclipse take her daring leap.  
  
"Keep your legs straight!!" was the only thing she could call before Eclipse hit the water. Solstice knew Eclipse had gone cliff diving once before, her friend having asked her for some decent spots. But this cliff was at least three times higher than those spots, and Eclipse just took a running leap.  
  
"Solstice wait!" Turbocharge watched as Solstice dove into the water, disappearing from view. "Speedzone, get the engine ready!"  
  
"Right!" Speedzone had turned to the helm and turned the engine key when a fin appeared and disappeared from view. "Solstice! HURRY!!"  
  
Swimming hard into the depths, Solstice spotted Eclipse struggling to swim back to the surface. But just as she grabbed her hand and made a break for it, a loud roar shook the water, giving her only moments to dodge the sharkticon's jaws.  
  
Megatron was livid a human was the one to take his Eclipse, rounding back on them to find the new human had already made it to the surface; he wasn't about to let them leave here alive!  
  
"Get in! Get in!" Solstice panicked. She saw the giant sharkticon and missed it's charge by inches. The same one she had hidden from before. Turbocharge pulled them both onto the boat just as Megatron leapt from the water, catching Solstice and Eclipse's legs, his bulk trying to force them into the water.  
  
It was a stupid idea. Really~ stupid, but in that moment Solstice remembered how Terablade had struck Drift. Not hurting him but jolting him enough to let her go. With her free leg, Solstice slammed down on Megatron's face then spun to land a hard kick to his gills. It took several hard blows but Megatron's grip finally slipped.  
  
"BOLT!"  
  
Speedzone slammed down the throttle, the engine's propolsion sending Megatron sailing back as the boat jolted forward. Solstice kept a grip on Eclipse as Turbocharge got them both into the main pit.  
  
"Are you okay back there?!" Speedzone called over the roaring engine, trying to work the waves instead of slamming into them and flipping the boat. Eclipse leant up, staring back at the island. She couldn't believe it. She had finally escaped.  
  
"I'm good, Eclipse?" Solstice turned to her friend, seeing she was still staring at the island. "It's okay now, Eclipse." Solstice placed a hand on her shoulder, rubbing her back. But before she could speak again, Eclipse spun around, her face buried in Solstice's shoulder as tears started pouring from her eyes.  
  
It was over. She had escaped the island, with help from her friends. She could go home. She could see her family again. But Megatron would no doubt hunt her down, he would track her down and drag her away again. She could never go into the water again. Eclipse just held on, venting out everything on Solstice's shoulder. Anything to convince herself and her mind that this wasn't just some dream and she was actually saved.

"It's okay, Eclipse," Solstice held her friend, patting and rubbing her back as Eclipse vented everything. Solstice could only guess just how she felt. Looking out the shrinking island, she could only guess that the Sharkticon that attacked was less than angered. She was, however, happy to see Drift and Perceptor along with the others swimming alongside the boat. Everyone seemed alright, no obvious injuries, and no one was lagging behind. Now they just needed to get back home; no doubt this would be a good day for Eclipse's family.

Their lost daughter was coming home.

* * *

Still shaking, Eclipse leant on Solstice's shoulder the whole trip back to her family's shop. Could she do this? What would her family say? What would they ask? She wasn't sure she could explain just what exactly happened on the island or the friendship she had formed with the dangerous Sharkticon.

But as Speedzone opened the door, letting the pair in, all of Eclipse's questions were answered.

The moment Red Moon saw her sister, she shrieked and barrelled to her. Her cry drew out Smokebomb and her father from the kitchen. Smokebomb copied his sister while her father ran back for her mother. Everyone was in tears, Eclipse holding her beloved brother and sister close to her as she saw her mother and father come out. Solstice wasn't kidding, her mother looked so frail, so pale and definitely thinner. Her sullen face suddenly brightened as she saw Eclipse, pulling away as Airstrike followed her.

Solstice stepped back, smiling as the happy family reunited.   
  
Excusing themselves, giving the family some space, the trio walked to a small lookout overlooking the ocean. Solstice felt acomplished. She had helped her friend, after so long apart from her family, but it still bugged her why the sharkticon kept her.

"We're gonna have to be careful now," Turbocharge sighed, Speedzone mirroring his concern. Solstice quirked an eyebrow.

"What do you mean?" she asked, turning to them. "Careful of what? We did a great thing today."

"Yeah and pissed off a Sharkticon and a whole pod of them," Speedzone sighed. "You saw how angry that thing looked, and you went and kicked it."

"We're going to have to be more careful in the sea too. He might try to find us or Eclipse again," Solstice paused. They did have a point. But she couldn't think that, no, they did a good thing and that Sharkticon wasn't going to ruin it. If she had to be more careful in the sea then she would. She had two over-protective mers to watch her aswell. Besides, he wouldn't be so brazen to attack humans outright, that would mean more hunters and fishermen getting more powers to hunt merpeople. It would cause too much trouble for both sides.

He'd never risk it...right?

 


End file.
